Taking Leave
by NintendoGal55
Summary: Miles and Stella discuss exactly what needs to be done in terms of Arnold's decision on the matter of them moving to San Lorenzo in order to help the Green-Eyed people again. Pre-The Patakis.


**I like to give Miles and Stella a better reason for moving away to San Lorenzo, if that IS where they move to by the time **_**The Patakis**_** comes to be. **

**I find that them getting bored of urban life and then just packing up and dragging Arnold back with them to San Lorenzo and staying there...to me, seems to be kind of selfish. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that they don't have a right not to particularly like urban life, what I am saying is that...they are parents now.**

**They've come back, and they are now parents to him. This is not all about them anymore. They can't just pick up and go wherever they want. They have a certain responsibility that comes with being parents. Moving to San Lorenzo, as much as it will feed their adventurous hunger, is also DANGEROUS. No matter how old or experienced you are. To me, dragging Arnold there just for the sake of curing their boredom seems to be really selfish and not at all caring about the fact that Arnold has his own life in Hillwood and pretty much would just have to leave it all behind for the sake of curing their boredom.**

**I think they would need a REASON for it. You remember back in "The Journal", they seemed perfectly happy living in Hillwood and being a family. Miles even tells Eduardo that they don't do that anymore, they have a baby now and need to think about that. They LEFT San Lorenzo because it was too dangerous to raise a child there. **

**So, it makes no sense for their reason to go back being "Because we're bored and need adventure!". Sorry, but no. That's just selfish.**

**Anyway, so you a prequel to both "Departure" and "South of the Continent" or its own stand-alone story, that's up to you.**

**This story is dedicated to my friend Jenny. :) Who is a huge fan of Stella, and loves the MilesxStella pairing. Then again, who doesn't? **

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"We have to take Arnold's feelings into consideration too." Stella said immediately to her husband, biting her lip. "He has built his entire life here in Hillwood, and it would be unfair to take him away from it."

"That's true." Miles agreed, nodding as a sigh escaped him. "But we just can't turn our backs on the Green Eyes. They have done so much for us, and we're the only ones they can trust."

"I know, and I want to help them. I will _always_ want to help them." Stella said seriously with no hesitation, but then faltered once more. "Living in San Lorenzo will be dangerous, especially for Arnold. Age and experience, as much as it may help, don't always serve to be relevant. We will be living in tight conditions."

"There isn't much for him there, either. He's a teenage kid, and unless we keep him busy helping us out or exploring a bit, he's going to get bored." Miles shook his head at this. "We'll have phones, and be able to connect to the internet, and he'll be able to write letters to his friends and receive letters no problem. That would help, but would it be enough?"

"That's very hard to say. Let's also not forget culture shock. He's going to have to get used to adapting to a whole new environment and culture, since it is an entirely different country. We aren't relocating to somewhere like Chicago or Nashville."

"Arnold is a fast learner, and he's a very bright kid, I don't doubt that he'll be able to adapt. But none the less, it will be culture shock for him initially." Miles agreed. He looked at his wife, and gently touched her hand. "But we also can't leave him behind again, Stella. I just can't risk being separated from him again. And I know he wouldn't be too keen on it."

"I can't either. I just can't." Stella agreed, fighting back tears. "We can't let that happen. But we also can't force this on him. As much as I'd rather stay here, or bring him with us...family has to come first, and we have to think about what is best for him, and not ourselves."

"Exactly. If by chance Arnold doesn't want to go...we won't force him. It won't be easy leaving him behind again, with the risk of getting captured and imprisoned again. At least he will be safe here and be able to live his life."

"He has lived fine without us." Stella went on. "If it comes to that...I'm not worried. He will make it."

"He will." Miles nodded. "We'll talk about this to him, and we'll see what he has to say. I want to bring him to San Lorenzo with us, and I even would rather stay here, but we do have to help the Green Eyes."

"We're going, with or without Arnold." Stella concluded. "If we didn't need to go, this wouldn't happen."

"You're right. As much as I want adventure and to travel, I know now, and have ever since Arnold was born that it's not about just you and me anymore. If I had to live the rest of my life here in Hillwood...so be it. If it meant our son would live a good life and be happy." Miles said, and squeezed his wife's hand.

"We wouldn't be doing this otherwise." Stella agreed, looking him in the eye, and squeezing his hand back. "I would never just uproot Arnold like that."

"He's got our sense of adventure and keen sense of seeing the world...but we can't do that to him." Miles shook his head again. "The Green Eyes need our help, and that's why we're going. We'll do all we can to help them. The plan is to build a good hospital, make sure they have access to resources and fresh water...we can do this, Stella. We're going to make sure they're okay."

"We will. We're going to make things easier for them. I care about the Green Eyes, but it's time we worked to let them know they can get help from others, as well. They can't _always_ rely on us."

"As much as I hate to admit it, you're right, honey. We can't always be their go-to guys. We have to show them what they can do to help themselves, too. They will always have a place in our hearts and I will forever be thankful for everything they've done. But, we do have our own lives now."

Stella smiled, and kissed Miles lightly, and the two of them stood, embracing one another.

"We can do this." Miles reiterated.

"We can." Stella agreed. "And we will."

It was not going to be easy, whether or not Arnold would come with them. While it was favourable that they could do this as a family, they were not about to make the mistake of uprooting Arnold out of nowhere. If not for this good reason, they would not be doing this in the first place.

In San Lorenzo, the sleeping sickness epidemic had started again. Not only that, but many of the Green Eyes were also falling ill to other such ailments, some of them even _dying_. Eduardo had sent a letter to Miles and Stella, requesting that they come to San Lorenzo yet again to help them. It was major deja-vu of last time almost. Right away, they knew that this was going to be a hard decision to make. To leave and have Arnold stay behind where he would be safe, and risk losing each other again, or to bring him along to do this as a family.

Family was going to have to come first. That was a hard decision in itself, considering the outcome. They wanted Arnold to be happy, not to be obligated to go with them. Yes, he owed a lot to the Green Eyes, but Miles and Stella were not about to make him face this until he was ready.

While admittedly, they were fairly bored with urban life and wanted excitement, that would not excuse uprooting their family like that. They knew that it wasn't just about them anymore. Arnold's feelings had to come into consideration, and as parents, would have to make that sacrifice.

It was worth it, however. Miles and Stella had been nothing but very happy ever since they had come back those few years ago. They were glad to settle down and be a family again with Arnold, Phil and Gertie, and the rest of the boarders. They were happy. Very happy. It was well worth the sacrifice, and Miles and Stella knew that it also wouldn't be _forever_, either. There would be a time that Arnold would be all grown up, living his own life. That would give Miles and Stella time to travel again. They didn't view it as any kind of waiting period, they just simply knew that the option would arise if they would choose to take it when the time came. It would even entail Arnold to be at a great age to see the world and travel with or without them, as well.

For now, they had to see what Arnold's decision would be. With or without him, they would go to San Lorenzo to help the Green Eyed people. To ensure their health and safety once and for all.

They only hoped that it would all turn out to be the right thing in the end.


End file.
